1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention generally relates to a spool, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a spool of a fishing reel for winding and releasing a fishing line.
2. Background Information
A fishing reel is mounted to a fishing rod for winding and releasing a fishing line. The fishing reel is generally classified as a spinning reel and a dual-bearing reel. A fishing reel of this type includes a reel unit and a spool. The reel unit is mounted to the fishing rod, and the spool is mounted to the reel unit for winding the fishing line.
The spool of the dual-bearing reel is supported by the reel unit and is capable of rotating. On the other hand, the spool of the spinning reel is mounted to the reel unit and is capable of moving back and forth.
The spool of the dual-bearing reel includes a bobbin trunk and flange portions. The bobbin trunk is formed in a tubular shape, and the fishing line is wound around the bobbin trunk. The flanges have a disk shape and are mounted to both ends of the bobbin trunk. The flanges protrude radially outward from both ends of the bobbin trunk.
On the other hand, the spool of the spinning reel includes a bobbin trunk, a front flange, a rear flange, and a skirt portion. The bobbin trunk has a tubular shape, and the fishing line is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the bobbin trunk. The front flange portion is mounted to the front end of the bobbin trunk and protrudes radially outward from the front end. The rear flange portion is mounted to the rear end of the bobbin trunk and protrudes radially outward from the rear end. The skirt portion has a cylindrical shape and is mounted to the rear flange portion. The skirt portion protrudes rearward from the rear flange portion. The above-mentioned elements making up the spool of the fishing reel are formed as an integral unit and are made of metal (e.g., aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy). Furthermore, the anodized treatment (e.g., alumite treatment) is performed on the surface of the spool to enhance its corrosion resistance.
Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. JP-Y-S58-011170 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. JP-U-S52-101786 disclose spools of a fishing reel of the above-mentioned type. Specifically, a plurality of circular indicating sections is formed on the fishing-line winding surface of the flange portion of the dual-bearing reel (or on the fishing-line winding surface of the front flange portion of the spinning reel). Diameters of the circular indicating sections are different from each other. In general, a predetermined kind of fishing line is wound around the bobbin trunk for regulating the amount of fishing line actually used. The circular indicating sections function as indicators for the amount of the fishing line wound around the bobbin trunk. In the examples of the above-mentioned publications, an angler is easily capable of ascertaining the amount of the fishing line (e.g., 50 or 100 meter, 0.260 mm dia.) that can be wound around the spool depending on the position of the circular indicators. For example, the circular indicators are a plurality of V-shaped grooves and are produced by cutting the metal surface of the flange portion of the dual-bearing reel or the metal surface of the front flange portion of the spinning reel. As described above, in a fishing reel having a conventional spool, the plurality of circular indicators function as an indicator for the amount of fishing line wound around the bobbin trunk. The plurality of circular indicators is produced in the form of the plurality of V-shaped grooves by cutting the metal surface of the flange portion of the dual-bearing reel or that of the front flange portion of the spinning reel. In general, the anodized treatment (e.g., alumite treatment) is often performed on the spool after the indicators are produced, i.e., in the form of the plurality of V-shaped grooves. However, widths of the plurality of V-shaped grooves are narrow. Therefore, layers (e.g., an anodized layer and a coating layer) are not optimally formed on bottom portions or edge portions of the grooves. If the layers are not optimally formed on these portions, metal (e.g., aluminum alloy) portions of the spool are exposed to the atmosphere and to other metal parts of the fishing reel as well. As a result, corrosion resistance of the metal spool may be impaired.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved metal spool of a fishing reel for preventing corrosion resistance. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.